MOSCOW, March 13, /ITAR-TASS/. The latest developments in Ukraine were the result of an accelerated implementation by external forces, first of all, the United States, of a scenario that was to be used in the country in 2015 during presidential elections, the former head of the Ukrainian Security Service, Alexander Yakimenko, said.

Yakimenko, who spoke on Wednesday evening on the Rossiya 24 Russian TV station, said Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich was out of favor in the West, adding that a number of countries were conducting work aimed at bringing to power representatives of other political forces at the 2015 presidential elections.

He said Western countries “flirted” with Yanukovich saying Europe was supporting him, and planned “to protract the negotiating process” for Kiev to sign an association agreement with the European Union “for Russia to help reinforce the social and political structure in Ukraine.”

According to Yakimenko, this was done in order “to bring Ukraine to Europe for Russian money” later by replacing the Ukrainian president.

Ukrainian President Yanukovich left Ukraine in February after a coup in his country. He told reporters in southern Russia on Tuesday that he remained the legitimate Ukrainian leader despite “an anti-constitutional seizure of power by armed radicals.” Russia considers Yanukovich the legitimate Ukrainian president.

The coup came on the wave of mass anti-government protests in Ukraine that started in November 2013 when the country’s authorities refused to sign an association agreement with the EU at a Vilnius summit, opting for closer ties with Russia instead.

Yakimenko also said some representatives of the new Kiev authorities are now still actively implementing the will of their American patrons who “need a Ukraine that would fulfill what they believe necessary.”

He said he believes the West will continue its policy aimed at destabilizing the situation in Ukraine’s southeastern regions and then in Belarus and Kazakhstan.